UMBILICUS LUTEUS

Family:- CRASSULACEAE

Common Names:- Yellow navelwort

Homotypic Synonyms:- Cotyledon lutea, Umbilicus erectus, Umbilicus

vulgaris subsp. erectus.

Meaning:- Umbilicus (L) Naval, reference to the depession in the leaf surface

where the stem connects to the underside.

Luteus (L) Yellow, vile, of clay, muddy.

General description:- Herbaceous plant.

Stem:-

1) 20-60 cm, stout, erect, simple.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, up to 70 mm diam., triangular to round, cordate, blade flat, but with the

margin winding strongly inward and outward or having rounded teeth.

2) Cauline, progressively smaller, with shorter petioles, and dentate.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence very numerous, more or less erect, in a dense raceme 8-25 cm,

sometimes branched at the base;

2) Peduncles, 1-3 mm.

3) Bracts, usually narrow-lance-shaped, small, entire or with a tooth on each side.

but sometimes broad. leafy, toothed.

4) Sepals, narrow, parallel-sided to lance-shaped.

5) Corolla 9-13 mm. tubular, bright or greenish-yellow, drying red-brown;

6) lobes narrow-lance-shaped. narrowing gradually to a point, about equalling the

tube.

Fruit:-

Key features:-

1) Lobes of corolla at least as long as the tube

2) Flowers 9-13 mm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Cliff crevices and ledges. open woodland, rocky outcrops in grassland.

(200-) 600-1400(-1900) m. on various substrates, but usually limestone.

Distribution:- Throughout mainland Greece and Peloponnisos. C & E

Mediterranean region. Rare on Crete currently known only from the Psiloritis and

Dikti massifs.

Flowering time:- May-July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton